Uncommon Boy Names

The name of a companion of the prophet Muhammad who became the first person to call Muslims to prayer. Bilal is well-used in the US.

This old Norse name is still used in contemporary Scandinavia. An ancient hero's name, Sigurd got a modern boost from a heroic figure in television's The Vikings.

Albin is a modern form of the ancient Roman Albinus or Albus, meaning white or bright. There was a Saint Albinus who was also known as Aubin. In the contemporary world, Albin is popular in Sweden and ripe for export as a simple, unusual name with deep history.

The Dutch equivalent of Walt makes the Top 100 in Belgium, where Flemish parents love short, sweet names.

The visibility of actor Wilmer (That 70s Show) Valderrama has highlighted this name, but it's not likely to spread because of its similarity to the feminine (and dated) Wilma.

Unlikely to catch on in the Anglophone world, where parent name Ludwig still conjures up images of Beethoven. But Ludvig actually ranks among the top boy names in Norway and Sweden, while German form Ludwig ranks among the Top 100 boy names in Germany and Ludovico is cool in Italty.

Malte began as a short form of the now-obsolete Ancient Germanic name Helmold. Helmold has gone extinct, but Malte has survived and is now enjoying a popularity resurgence in Germany and Sweden.

Preferable to its parent name, Arnoud, in the Netherlands.

If you're looking for a Euro-chic alternative to Max, Mats is a strong possibility. It's a fading classic in Norway, but is popular in the Netherlands and Belgium, where short names are the height of style.

As you may surmise from its origins as a short form for Constantijn and Augustijn, Stijn rhymes with nine and fine, though most English-speakers wouldn't guess that. A popular name in the Netherlands that's obscure elsewhere, for reasons undoubtedly connected to its spelling and pronunciation issues.

The first name of famed designer Balenciaga, was also the birth name of Christopher Columbus--aka Cristobal Colon. A name still well used in the Hispanic community.

For those who can't bear to use a Kardashian name, perhaps the translation Nohr might be an option. Nohr is currently in Denmark's Top 50 and so is one of those Danish names prime to travel to the wider world.

This name was on the U.S. Top 1000 in the early 20th century, when recent immigrants frequently chose native names that have since died out for American babies. But if you're of Finnish ancestry, you may want to consider reviving this one with a positive meaning.

Johannes never caught on in the US, but popular European short form Hannes may be more accessible.

As a form of the Hebrew Yochanan, Yahya is an Islamic name that honors the prophet John the Baptist, making it one of many international forms of John. In Islamic tradition, Yahya is celebrated for his dedication to and understanding of scriptures from a young age and for his gentleness and sinless life.
Currently popular in England and Wales, Yahya has also been on and off of the US Top 1000 charts since 2015.

Russian, Belarusian, Romanian and Bulgarian form of Andrew

The traditional German spelling of this name, used by Goethe, Bach and many other luminaries.

This classic, handsome Arabic name — cognate of the Hebrew Ishmael — was chosen by Tan and Rob France for their son born in 2021. Ismail is the preferred spelling in England, Germany, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Turkey, while Ismael ranks higher in countries with native Spanish speakers, including the US.

It originated as a nickname for Lodewijk, but now Lowie is more popular as-is, even ranking in the Top 100 in Belgium.